


A Song of Ice & Fire

by 8TimesTheCharm



Category: Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona Series
Genre: F/F, a study of sorts, and Chie is grappling with jealousy again, featuring aggressive wingman Takeba, heaving with symbolism, i wish i had the time to do this ship more justice fml, mentions of various ships in the background
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-27
Updated: 2018-01-21
Packaged: 2018-12-20 12:20:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11920782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/8TimesTheCharm/pseuds/8TimesTheCharm
Summary: The Empress & The High Priestess are two halves of a feminine whole in the Major Arcana. The heiresses they preside over are cut of the same cloth but of different patterns. Theirs is a relationship formed on their familial duty, unique until they found one another to confide in. It is galvanised when they discover their harmony in their element.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> gentle disclaimer that it's been eons since i touched p3/4 and arena in general

It begins with a certain mutual understanding they have with one another; Mitsuru Kirijo has done her research and she knows that Yukiko Amagi stands to inherit a family business-- not nearly on par with the sprawling Kirijo Group, but there is a shared respect for taking on the familial mantle and doing her duty. It's something that none of their respective peers could ever really hope to understand.

After the incident in Inaba where the Shadow Operatives got involved, they and the Investigation Team part on amicable terms, some more than expected. Chie runs off whenever Akihiko is in town to train with him, bursting with admiration for the man and Yukiko is not certain if she still wants to be a police officer any more with the romanticism of the wandering fighter life, certainly something she's gushed about from the countless martial arts movies she's watched through the years. Yukari Takeba and Rise Kujikawa talk about the pains of fame and how to deal with intrusive paparazzi, Yosuke and Junpei exchange their favourite jokes, Aigis engages Naoto Shirogane about a host of subjects, intent on picking that brain apart and marvels at every astute and elaborate reply.

So it's not really that strange for Yukiko to reach out to Mitsuru now and again, relieved that she finally had someone who really understood the situation she was in. But, that said, at the same time she feels a little embarrassed, ashamed even to have kicked such a fuss about inheriting her small countryside inn where Mitsuru has a colossal business foisted upon her along with the baggage of the notorious reputation amassed by her grandfather and her father to some mild extent. There's no mistake, Yukiko won't be the new manager thanks to murder, her mother will most likely step aside in ten-twenty or so years and the transition will be gentle and slow. She admires Mitsuru for many things, and the strength the woman has to take the reins and steer the Group well and true in the face of that tragedy is overwhelming. She wishes she had even a fraction of that courage.

* * *

Mitsuru observes many funny little coincidences that lie between her and Yukiko: the inheritance is first, the second is their birthdays both falling on the 8th of their respective months, third that their birth months are in winter and summer, fourth that despite that their Personae reflect the opposite to the typically associated element-- Yukiko's hidden self is the winter sun, and Mitsuru's is the summer snow. As if that weren't enough, the fifth is in the curious fact that Amaterasu's brilliance is reflected in the moon that Artemisia would hunt by.

She doesn't want to get ahead of herself, she's charmed and it's incredibly refreshing to not only share experiences but also to feel like she could really help make a difference by advising her in the ways of dealing with faceless men in tailored suits smirking and belittling her. It starts with offers of invitation to Tatsumi Port Island, to talk more in detail and perhaps to show Yukiko some case studies so she could be better prepared, and is accepted once Yukiko jokes about having some freedom to relax in between.

Mitsuru makes good on her word; Yukiko is a guest on certain meetings, eventually participating once Mitsuru gently coaxes her to do so, confident in her. The results are better than what she expected, and she feels a little guilty for even slightly doubting the Inaba native, watching her hold her own with prying questions from Kirijo aides who aren't sure of her, deflecting with practiced ability and an airy aloofness that turns them away feeling like she had conceded to them when the reality was the contrary. Some of them speak to the Kirijo head in private, lauding the Amagi girl and suggesting not-too-subtly about acquiring it. They're surprised when she firmly refuses, and flit away acquiescing to her wishes.

Once business is concluded, Mitsuru takes Yukiko out of the economic arena that is Kirijo conference rooms, and into the city. Relaxing is not Mitsuru's strong point, she admits, and impulsively Yukiko decides she'll show her. They go for food, and while Mitsuru wants to take her to somewhere she's more familiar with, Yukiko's already tugged her into Wild-duck Burger. She doesn't protest much, and she's glad she doesn't, because the earnest smile that reaches the charcoal-grey eyes looking at her when she admits she once never knew how to eat a burger is worth it. The giggle that accompanies _that_ smile is soft, with no malice in it, and Mitsuru gulps-- not because of the food, but because of the skip in her heartbeat.

She elaborates on her upbringing, how it was rather international in nature yet she was still quite naive about many things in the world, closed off as she was. Yukiko returns it with her own background, and it strikes Mitsuru with another interesting little coincidence number 6: hers is a Western, modernly influenced life, whereas her companion is steeped in Japanese tradition, even looking like she could pass for a shrine maiden with minimal effort.

They talk about shared interests, and exchange book titles and music artists they think the other will like. Mitsuru speaks about a series she was drawn to in that it was set after the supposed 'happily ever after', and the political intrigue riveted her ultimately but she had to put it down with the level of gruesome violence contained within, especially when focused on women in the setting. Yukiko can appreciate the realism in that a 'happy ever after' doesn't just happen; it's a nice sobering reminder to her past self that yearned to be spirited away by a Prince Charming. The older woman steers the topic to something with mild levity; she finds a joke in there about how the name of the would-be septology reflects their elements, even if she's not a particularly good singer nor musically very adept. She's given a contemplative, soft smile by her Inaban counterpart, and a murmur that perhaps they could find a way to make that harmony together, that song of ice and fire.

Yukiko takes the train home to Yasoinaba, leaving Mitsuru lost in her budding feelings and how they were so alike but then wonderfully contrasted in others.

* * *

"Takeba speaking."

"Yukari--."

"Oh, hey! What's up?"

"Do you have a few minutes?" Mitsuru asks, feeling a touch desperate for someone she could reach out to in this particular subject. Of course, it was difficult not to feel a mite awkward given who she's about to ask, but Akihiko was equally as _hopeless_ as she was in this specific arena and Yukari was the only person she would feel remotely comfortable about sharing this with.

"You sound flustered as hell," Yukari points out with a jovial tone to her voice, chuckling when she hears Mitsuru gruffly sigh over the other end "The visit with that Amagi girl went okay, right?"

"Y-yes, extremely well, that's part of the reason I--."

"And you've got it **bad** now, right?" she swaps ears as best as she could, especially when she was in the middle of fixing her nails up on her day off.

" _Excuse me?_ " Normally for anyone else, the dangerous edge to Mitsuru Kirijo's voice would have anyone running the other way, but Yukari knew her well and was privy to more secrets than anyone else. Well, for now. If things went well she'd be second place to Yukiko Amagi, but she'll keep an eye on that.

"What I mean by that is, you've fallen for her," Yukari clarifies, rolling her eyes when she heard her friend huff again " _ **C'mon** _ Mitsuru, we both know if you wanted business tips you'd call your aides, fitness advice you'd grab Akihiko, if you wanted information you'd call Fuuka or Aigis, but if you want to know about what to do next when you're falling in love is calling me. So, I'm right, right?"

"Unfortunately I'll have to give that one to you, yes," Mitsuru replies tersely, sounding a little guarded.

"Jeez, I know it's not something you do but seriously, relax. This is a good feeling you're supposed to be experiencing. ...I know I'm winding you up, sorry, but you make it really easy!" the archer's laughter is still ever infectious, so her friend finds herself chuckling quietly along with her. "Take a deep breath, don't freak out, steady yourself and focus on the good vibes here. Get to know her, be friends, maybe she'll be interested in more-- and don't you dare say to me she wouldn't be interested in you either."

Firstly, how is Yukari so astute as to instantly know what Mitsuru was going to futilely protest about? She'd never know. Exasperated, she just hummed an affirmation and let Yukari enjoy her victory.

"You guys will be fine, if stuff happens I know you both'll take your time. I think you'll be great together, red and black is a timeless combination."

"Thanks. I'll keep you posted if your assurances turn out to not align with reality," Mitsuru answers, affecting as much of a joking tone as she could, but the hopeful encouragement didn't really reach through the wall of caution that she was so prone to having about anything strange and unusual for herself. Yukari made an indignant sound and grabbed her phone between her shoulder and ear.

"No, you listen here. Knock that crap off. If you're trying to tell me that I didn't somehow see that Amagi girl staring after you, every time you were nearby while we were checking that TV stuff out in Inaba, I'm calling bullshit. I'm telling you that I _**know**_ she's into you, I'm not just guessing."

Silence was all she got, but she could easily picture the crimson haired woman glancing downwards in deep contemplation. Yukari adds after a couple of seconds "You need someone who's really on the same page as you, someone who's able to recognise the stuff you go through daily. She fits the bill, if you ask me. Go for it, and when you guys do get together, gimme a call so I can tell you 'I told you so', okay?"

"You're terrible," Mitsuru mutters, eventually conceding a quiet thank you before hanging up. 


	2. Chapter 2

The Kirijo Empress is not alone in grappling with unexpected swells of feelings; her Inaba counterpart struggles with her own, having resorted to asking as many of her friends as she could, but Rise was too busy, Naoto didn't have a clue how to weigh in on romantics and Chie... was the last person she wanted to ask. But she is compelled to, just to try and finalise what's in her heart.

There's an argument while hanging out at Chie's, her parents out for the weekend; the bickering is expected over the subject, it's just the sheer _veracity_ of it that unsettles Yukiko and even Chie herself. Amaterasu glows but Suzuka Gongen wanes, even though their hosts debate lively, the strength of Chie's argument flimsy and rooted in a selfishness and jealousy that hadn't been seen since the Shadow that Yu and Yosuke faced down in Yukiko's absence. Not that she got much detail of it other than the quick summary Chie gave her once she was rescued from her castle predicament. That thought sticks in the back of Yukiko's mind for later, for her to mull on and chew over, wondering if the rollercoaster year that they had in that foggy town allowed Chie to hide a much-needed conversation under the proverbial floorboards, while she got to see Yukiko's own innermost secrets exposed uncomfortably... and then the Midnight Channel returned with an arena and Mitsuru Kirijo with it.

"It's just... I guess I'm afraid that you guys've been talking and she travels so much that... I dunno, she might steal you away and you'll get to leave Inaba and--."

A chord was struck deeply, like Chie had momentarily glimpsed the Shadow on her mind and mumbled the same; but that was so long ago, she had evolved since-- she knew what her duty was and she intended to uphold it. Why was Chie digging up old stuff like this?

Was she being... _jealous?_

_Double back Yukiko, why is she bringing up things your Shadow spoke of? And things you had made your peace with and evolved past, no less._

Unless she was dwelling on-- well that had to have been it. Perhaps a year or two before Yu arrived at Inaba, there had been a somewhat confusing time where the label of friendship between Chie and Yukiko had been a convenient excuse to hide behind when their sleepovers became giggly, hormonally charged experiments hidden away from parents. It was in that stretch of time that the two had certainly learned a lot about themselves and indeed one another to a point, but Yukiko had cooled off on whatever feelings had been elicited by taboo kisses in the couple of years since. It was apparent that Chie hadn't.

"If she invites me to some trip, it's not like I won't come back. The Inn can't run itself, Chie."

"I know, but--"

Yukiko was beginning to lose her patience a touch, frustrated especially with how bizarre the idea was that Mitsuru Kirijo-- someone who was ironclad in her own inheritance, bound forever to her name and the vastness of the Group that came with it-- would get her to abandon her own inheritance. It was absurd, and lent itself to the idle theory she had that Chie's protests against the Kirijo Group owner were irrational, and very much bound to emotional lingering.

"Why would I forgo the Inn when she's taken on the Group? That doesn't make any sense, Chie. If anything, Mitsuru-san would be quick to remind me about it, since she knows better than anyone else-- even me-- how important family business can be."

Admittedly, Yukiko withered a little towards the end of her rebuttal, mostly owing to how it was really sinking in that out of everything that's happened, investigating the murders certainly brought them all closer together as friends, but meeting the Operatives with the revival of the Midnight Channel heralded the arrival of someone who genuinely understood her predicament outside of the TV World. It was a juxtaposing mess of scary and reassuring; something about how definitive and secure that a partnership (she didn't let herself dwell on that too long, almost afraid she was reading too much into things as is) with the Kirijo heiress both calmed and unnerved her. It's just weird almost having a clear vision of the future already, she supposed, and maybe Chie was glum because she didn't see herself part of it.

Her friend waved uselessly and put her hands behind her head, turning away. It was her way of trying to take the edge out of the conversation that may have arisen, as it did here. Yukiko wasn't impressed, but she was used to it, letting it slide without comment. Chie shrugged once "I think I'm just getting too worked up about it all. Maybe I need to see Sanada-san and vent it out."

"Chie," Yukiko began with an exasperated sigh "Maybe it'd be better to face this head-on instead of letting it eat at you?"

The 180 in the girl's posture was instant, Yukiko was equally amazing at the speed and recoiling at the viciousness of it; Chie had adopted a far more angrier pose, but owing out of frustration with herself more than anything. The Amagi heiress could almost see Suzuka Gongen swinging wildly at an unseen foe, trying to manifest these negative feelings and bat them out of her worked up host. "Aaaagh! I'm mega jealous okay!? It was just the two of us being besties and- now that you have someone who gets the big family inheritance stuff-- and I'm just afraid you won't come back! I know you have the Inn but just-- what if Kirijo buys that and you end up in Port Island hanging out with all these bigwigs? Jetting overseas and just being around someone who might as well be a Prince Charming--!"

Ah, jealous was perhaps putting it lightly. The comment about the Prince Charming stung Yukiko far more exceptionally than it had any right to, and she stifled the steely glare inherited from her mother threatening to strike Chie down. There was something else she hadn't been disclosing, and she was somewhat dreading to drag that out into the foray, but given that pointed mention it seemed the gloves were off for this particular argument. Thank goodness no one else was around to hear the dirty laundry being aired.

"...I'm going to assume," she began, as evenly as she could even though her cheeks were glowing as scarlet as her usual choice of clothing, when she was revisiting another memory that was perhaps a tad too touchy for both of them "--that you must still have feelings deep down if you're acting like this."

"I-I..." Chie stuttered and stammered but it was clear. She lowered her head and wove her fingers through her short hair, unable to retain eye contact. Yukiko took that as an affirmation, otherwise getting a verbal confirmation out of her like this was going to be like trying to take blood from a stone.

"I promise you Chie, I'm not going to forget about Inaba or you, or the rest of our friends. I've got an Inn to help with, and to run later on when it's time." Another deep inhale, followed by a slow exhale as she offered her gloomy friend a fragile smile-- an olive branch in the small curve upward of her lips "We're still going to be best friends, you know that? I'm sorry I had to be so direct like that--"

"Me too," was the mumble from the martial artist, hands deep in her green jersey's pockets.

"--I just wanted to get this out so neither of us would end up resenting the other, okay? I'm sorry as well that I can't ever quite... feel the same, and that I feel so strongly about Mitsuru-san instead, but it won't take me away from everyone."

" _Naaaah_ ," Chie began with a noise, raising her head up to show that there were indeed tears pooling in the corners of her eyes, but she forced a brave face nonetheless "Don't apologise! Like I said, I'm just being jealous and getting worked up over nothing. I gotta vent that out next time I catch Sanada-san either way. What's more important is that you're happy with what you do. I'd be a pretty crappy friend if I tried to get in the way of something you want to go after, especially if that something-- or I guess, someone-- would be the perfect shoulder to lean on when you have no one else to turn to."

This was a far more pleasant upturn in their exchange than Yukiko had any right to expect, even if she mentally sifted through any arguments they'd had before and noted that any Chie started tended to end up with Chie making amends. She blinked once, silent as she tried to put together the train of thought that brought Chie through a rollercoaster of emotions in one evening. It took a friendly, if a little strong, pat to her back to snap her to her senses. Now her friend was grinning, shaking her gently by the shoulder "I'm in your corner; let me cheer you on! What did that announcer say about Kirijo-san again? 'Punishing evil from her lonely throne'? That means she's single, right?"

" _CHIE!_ " Yukiko shoved Chie with a comically appalled expression, the two lapsing into laughter. They talked into the night, Chie now expending her boundless energy into thinking up of all possible situations where Yukiko could meet Mitsuru and what she could say. One thing was for sure, Chie was a reliable friend in the end, but her pick-up lines were without a shadow of a doubt the ones Yukiko would _avoid_ using.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (distant yelling) its meant to juxtapose the yukari-mitsuru friendship chat

**Author's Note:**

> if you thought you saw some lyrics to Marina & the Diamonds' FROOT you absolutely goddamn did because that's literally this ship: winter sun & summer snow.*  
> this won't be a very long multi-chapter fic it's just getting waaaaaaaaay too long for a one chapter oneshot
> 
> *am aware chie's got bufu in her persona but it's not the same level as mitsuru's so summer snow applies a touch more to her lets be fair


End file.
